Over the years, my husband Frank and I have observed that those who
are motivated by compassion to adopt a vegan lifestyle are oftentimes
more likely to stay with it over the long run.

Personally, compassion outweighs any other motivation; and, do you
know what? As a side benefit, we are rewarded with excellent health. Add
to that all the many benefits that accrue with a vegan lifestyle: lower
health costs (a huge concern in this country); less global warming
(worldwide, livestock production produces 18 percent of human’s
greenhouse gas – more than all forms of travel); a more peaceful world,
since the intrinsic cruelty and suffering involved in industrial animal
agriculture spills over into human to human relationships; a clear
conscience that comes with knowing that you are limiting, as far as
possible, your complicity to the suffering of others, et cetera.

And for those who are motivated by religious teachings, Galatians
5:22-23 states:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
~ New American Standard Bible

You can’t kill animals or have others kill them for you and still
have these spiritual qualities mentioned in the above scripture. But, it
seems that most people who are motivated by compassion also have these
qualities.

"Joyful Curmudgeon"
An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful. At the
same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the
world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true
peace and compassion.